Creating Google Classrooms Using Bitmoji and Google Slides: An early Pandemic Pedagogical Response
Abstract: Post-Covid-19 pedagogy requires teachers, students and families to become familiar with various digital technologies used in schools to promote distance learning. In New Jersey, and beyond, distance learning models have had the unintended consequence of increasing achievement gaps previously seen in schools. The digital divide (Norris, 2001), increased by the recently forced move to remote instruction, can be addressed by teachers, students and families becoming more familiar with digital resources that are more accessible and familiar to students and teachers. Moreover, as teachers become more accustomed to delivering instruction in virtual spaces, there is an emphasis on using the physical classroom space as a model for the virtual space. The notion that if students are more familiar with the digital learning environment, it becomes more accessible to them has gained increased interest. Google classrooms made using bitmoji’s offer a glimpse into the nature of using the physical classroom space as a model for designing digital learning environments for K-12 schools. This article describes the use of google classrooms as they emerged, post-pandemic, as a response to remote learning and teaching. The authors offer a brief overview of the benefits of using Google classroom to create remote learning opportunities for students and detail some of the pedagogical thinking that may guide the design and implementation in both synchronous and asynchronous environments. This pa